An illustrative example of a three-dimensional memory device is a three-dimensional resistive random access memory (ReRAM) device, which is a non-volatile memory device employing reversible change in resistance in a thin film with application of electrical voltage bias across the film. Thus, data can be stored in a ReRAM cell by changing the resistance of the thin film, which can be a solid-state material. The thin film is referred to as a memory film or a read/write film. Examples of ReRAM devices are described in World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Publication No. WO2007004843 A1 to Hong et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0043455 A1 to Bateman.
A resistive memory cell can be programmed into a set state having a low electrical resistance, or a reset state having a high resistance. A write operation stores data in a set of resistive memory cells by programming each resistive memory cell into a set state or a reset state depending on the contents of the data. For example, “1” can correspond to a set state and “0” can correspond to a reset state, or vice versa.